I agree with you. That’s how it will happen. Treasonous or weak people within the Church will simply go along to get along, not even with the necessity of an official proclamation.
When Henry VIII proclaimed his own church, there was only one bishop who resisted. All of the other bishops and almost all of the secular clergy were perfectly fine with ripping out the statues of Our Lady and tearing down the crucifixes and doing whatever the newly empowered State told them to do.
The Pope (Clement VII) at the time was weak and had a track record of fleeing attacks on Rome. I don’t think he was complicit - although I’m not sure about the current Pope, and that’s one of the difficult things about this - but he didn’t deal with the situation very well.
The English people who resisted were for the most part simple laity and order priests. Of course, all the major religious orders here have already been undermined, so I guess it’s up to us laypeople now.
Thank you for mentioning that. The Bishop was St. John Fisher. I believe all Christian churches will be affected by this- we need to maintain courage of conviction in a world turned upside down. If any of you haven’t seen it, watch the dvd “A Man For All Seasons” the story of a man who put his God above everything and thus would not go against his conscience. Made in 1966, starring Paul Scofield. No dissing; it’s about standing up for what you believe in, at all costs.
When Mary I died and Bloody Bess took over, only one bishop said yes to her demands. All the others held firm with the Catholic Church and were put under house arrest and those who did not die under house arrest died later having wasted away in prison. At least one bishop escaped the country, Cuthbert Scot.
Speaking of Henry VIII, he asked Lord Montague how he liked the new church and Montague said, "Now when you offendeth, you may now absolve yourself."